1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is in the field of furniture design. More particularly, the present invention relates to a frame which is readily convertible from a substantially flat bed or futon like configuration into a couch, and is equally readily convertible in reverse.
2. Brief Description of the Prior Art
Convertible couches and sofas have been known in the prior art for a long time. Applicant believes that the closest known prior art to the invention is the special construction of a futon frame convertible into a couch frame, described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,664,268. Whereas the futon frame of this prior art patent is workable and suitable for its intended purpose, it still requires substantial physical effort by a person to convert it from one function to the other, that is from bed or futon to seat and vica versa, and particularly to convert it from the futon or bed position into the sitting or couch position. The present invention solves this problem and provides a bed or futon frame that can be converted into a sitting or couch configuration with greater ease and less physical effort than comparable convertible couch or sofa beds of the prior art.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a futon or bed frame that is readily convertible into a couch or sitting configuration, and vica versa, without major physical effort.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a futon or bed frame that is readily convertible into a couch or sitting configuration, and vica versa, which is aesthetically pleasing to view and comfortable to use.
The foregoing and other objects and advantages attained by a frame that has a seat piece and back piece pivotably joined to one another so that they can occupy substantially flat and also angled configurations relative one another. In the flat configuration the pieces serve as a couch or futon, and in the angled configuration they serve as a couch or sofa. The joined seat and back pieces move in rollers in appropriately positioned slots in side arms and legs which are joined at each distal end to the seat and back pieces. Each of the flat (sleeping or bed) or angled (seating or couch) position or configuration of the pieces is held stable for use by the rollers that become lodged in the ends of the respective guide slots. A solid block is attached below the back piece that engages the seat piece when the frame is converted from bed to couch. The block allows the seat piece to be used as an efficient lever to raise the back piece without major physical effort while the edge of the seat piece is pushed and used as a lever handle.
The features of the present invention can be best understood together with further objects and advantages by reference to the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein like numerals indicate like parts.